Help with a few spells

[ChimericDream]

So, I'm working on my homebrew, and I found a class that I want to use, but it makes liberal use of spells found in Dragon magazine. I've found a few of these online in various forums, and removed others from the class's spell list, but there were a few that sounded like something the class needed. So, I did my best to come up with spells of the same name that seemed to capture at least what I think the original spells were used for.

Any suggestions on how to improve these?

Lighten Load - Originally in Dragon magazine #317
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Tnk 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Individual or creature touched
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

They were chuckling at the gnome, for he had picked up much more than it seemed he could easily carry. In fact, there was some doubt as to whether he would be able to move at all. However, with a word and a quick gesture, he trotted right out the door, to the disbelief of the rest of the tavern's patrons.

With this spell, you are able to treat your load as though it weighed half as much. This allows for smaller characters to carry larger amounts of gear, etc. For example, Dalrick has a strength score of 10, giving him a light load of 33 lb. or less. With this spell, a load of 66 lb. or less would be considered light for Dalrick.

Note: This spell does not affect any other aspects of the character's strength, such as ability to use heavy items, weapon attack and damage rolls, strength checks made for any reason, etc. It merely allows a character to carry twice as much gear as they would be able to otherwise.

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Deactivate - Originally in Dragon magazine #304 (called Disanimate in the magazine)
Transmutation
Level: Cle 5, Sor/Wiz 5, Tnk 4
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One construct or animated object within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Upon completion of this spell, the caster gestures toward the intended target, which must make a Fortitude save. If the save fails, the target suffers various effects according to the following table:

HD Effect
Equal to caster level Stunned for 1 round. This is an exception to the rule that constructs and animated objects are immune to stunning attacks.
Up to caster level -1 Slowed for 1d4 rounds, stunned 1 round
Up to caster level -5 Paralyzed for 2d4 rounds, slowed 1d4 rounds, stunned 1 round
Up to caster level -10 "Killed" - The target is no longer considered a construct or animated object. It becomes a mundane item. (i.e. - Iron golem becomes a statue.)

Focus: A small wrench.

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Durability - Originally in Dragon magazine #305
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2, Tnk 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Object touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

You are able to increase the resilience of your equipment. The target of this spell has its hardness increased by 2.

Note: Multiple castings of durability do not stack. An object's hardness can only be increased by 2 using this spell.

Material Component: A pouch of powder containing a mixture of steel, iron, and adamantine worth 50gp.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Lighten load seems very weak as a third-level spell. Compare this to floating disk: at 1st level it doubles max lifting capacity for a Str 10 human; at 5th it doubles it for a Str 22 human; phantom steed won't do quite as much for lifting (at least until high levels), but can fight and bear the caster. Heck, even shrink item might be good at helping you lift things -- if one particular item is more than half* your carrying capacity, it's better for lifting: less weight and longer duration.

Medium duration:
Alter self can give the same lifting capacity for 10 minutes/level, and has many other functions beside.

Short duration:
Bull's strength gives a similar increase in lifting power at a much shorter duration, but has all the combat uses too; enlarge person gives even more lifting power for the same short duration.

* Actually 2048/4095 ~= 50.01%, but who's counting?

 

[el-remmen]

This is what I got for Lighten Load: http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Spell+-+Lighten+Load

 

[ChimericDream]

Lighten load seems very weak as a third-level spell. Compare this to floating disk: at 1st level it doubles max lifting capacity for a Str 10 human; at 5th it doubles it for a Str 22 human; phantom steed won't do quite as much for lifting (at least until high levels), but can fight and bear the caster. Heck, even shrink item might be good at helping you lift things -- if one particular item is more than half* your carrying capacity, it's better for lifting: less weight and longer duration.

Medium duration:
Alter self can give the same lifting capacity for 10 minutes/level, and has many other functions beside.

Short duration:
Bull's strength gives a similar increase in lifting power at a much shorter duration, but has all the combat uses too; enlarge person gives even more lifting power for the same short duration.

* Actually 2048/4095 ~= 50.01%, but who's counting?

In that case, what if I reduced it to second level, or further increased the reduction of the weight? Perhaps keeping it at a 3rd level spell (2nd for the Bard and Tinker classes... Tinker is the class I'm trying to use) and increasing the percentage to 75%.

This is what I got for Lighten Load: http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Spell+-+Lighten+Load

That looks pretty good. I may use that, then rename mine to something else. I like the concept of both spells, since they can be used for slightly different purposes.

 

[ChimericDream]

Any opinions on the other two spells?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Deactivate is very specific. I'd have to think about how Construct HD vs. CR/expected caster level work before saying too much, but it's not too strong to be sure. (I suspect it's weak, and should be lowered a level, but I don't know yet.) I don't think it should have (object) in the saving throw line, by the way.

Durability is odd. 2 hardness isn't much, and the material component isn't free, but since it lasts forever maybe it's good. The only spell I can think of off the top of my head to compare this to is from Deities and Demigods, and looking it up I see it's not very comparable -- 6th level, more hardness, and permanent instead of instantaneous.